“I Was Wrong”: Patrick Stewart Admits He Underestimated Tom Hardy After Star Trek: Nemesis

In his new memoir Making It So, legendary actor Sir Patrick Stewart has opened up about his time working with Tom Hardy on the 2002 film Star Trek: Nemesis, revealing that he initially underestimated the now-acclaimed actor. Stewart’s candid reflections offer a fascinating glimpse into Hardy’s early career and the dynamics on set.

Stewart, who had already spent over a decade portraying the iconic role of Capt. Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation, described Nemesis as a film that did not quite live up to the standards of its predecessors. He went as far as to call it “particularly weak.” Yet, it was his interactions, or lack thereof, with Hardy that drew the most attention in his memoir.

At the time of filming, Hardy was relatively unknown, having made his film debut just a year earlier in Black Hawk Down. Hardy’s portrayal of Shinzon, the villain of Nemesis, did not leave a lasting impression on Stewart — at least, not in the way one might expect. Reflecting on their on-set experience, Stewart wrote:

“I didn’t have a single exciting scene to play, and the actor who portrayed the movie’s villain, Shinzon, was an odd, solitary young man from London. His name was Tom Hardy.”

Despite sharing significant screen time, Stewart recalled that Hardy remained distant throughout the production. According to Stewart, Hardy rarely interacted with the cast and spent most of his downtime secluded in his trailer.

“Tom wouldn’t engage with any of us on a social level. Never said, ‘Good morning,’ never said, ‘Goodnight,’ and spent the hours he wasn’t needed on set in his trailer with his girlfriend,” Stewart noted.

However, Stewart was careful to clarify that Hardy’s aloofness was not rooted in hostility. Rather, it seemed that Hardy was focused and solitary, which made it difficult for the rest of the cast to connect with him. Stewart added:

“He was by no means hostile — it was just challenging to establish any rapport with him.”

In what may be one of the more surprising admissions from Making It So, Stewart recalled Hardy’s final day on set. True to form, Hardy quietly left without any fanfare or pleasantries.

“On the evening Tom wrapped his role, he characteristically left without ceremony or niceties, simply walking out of the door,” Stewart wrote. “As it closed, I said quietly to [costars Brent Spiner and Jonathan Frakes], ‘And there goes someone I think we shall never hear of again.'”

Of course, Stewart’s prediction could not have been more off the mark. Hardy went on to build a stellar career, with critically acclaimed roles in films like Inception, Mad Max: Fury Road, and The Dark Knight Rises. Looking back, Stewart expressed nothing but admiration for Hardy’s accomplishments, admitting that his initial judgment was far from accurate:

“It gives me nothing but pleasure that Tom has proven me so wrong.”

Stewart’s memoir provides not only a candid recollection of Hardy’s early days in Hollywood but also a powerful reminder that first impressions are not always lasting. Today, Hardy is one of the most versatile and respected actors in the industry — a far cry from the solitary figure Stewart described on the set of Star Trek: Nemesis.

As Hardy’s career has soared, Stewart’s reflections serve as a testament to the unexpected turns an actor’s journey can take and the importance of keeping an open mind, even when initial experiences suggest otherwise.